Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre says elections will be held in parts of Jubbaland where security allows, with alternative electoral arrangements considered for areas where direct voting is not possible.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (Somali Report) — Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has said national elections will be held in areas of the southern Jubbaland state where voting is possible, while alternative electoral arrangements could be used in areas where direct polling cannot be conducted.
Hamza made the remarks in an interview on Saturday, as he discussed the federal government’s plans for the country’s next elections.
“Elections will take place, and wherever they can be held, they will be held,” the prime minister said.
He said the government wanted Jubbaland to participate in the national electoral process, but acknowledged that security and political conditions in some parts of the state could make direct voting difficult.
“We want the election to take place, and we want Jubbaland to be part of Somalia,” Hamza said.
The prime minister said areas including Jilib, Bu’aale, Hagar, Jamaame and Badhaadhe could present challenges to the holding of direct elections. If voting cannot take place in those or other areas, he said, an electoral mechanism designed for such circumstances would be used.
Hamza referred to the single-constituency electoral model adopted by Somalia’s federal authorities, under which parliamentary seats would be contested through a nationwide electoral constituency. A 2025 government document outlining the electoral framework says Somalia is to hold direct elections based on a closed-list proportional representation system, with the country treated as a single constituency.
The prime minister also cited countries including Iraq and Afghanistan as examples where elections have been held despite some areas being inaccessible for voting, saying alternative procedures had been used to address such circumstances.
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His comments indicate that Mogadishu intends to proceed with its electoral plans even if direct polling cannot be conducted across the whole of Jubbaland.
The issue is politically sensitive because the federal government and Jubbaland authorities have been engaged in a prolonged dispute over the administration’s leadership and its relationship with Mogadishu. The federal government has previously rejected the legitimacy of the current Jubbaland administration, while Jubbaland authorities have maintained their own political and electoral positions.
Security is also a major factor in parts of Jubbaland. In Lower Juba, the districts of Jamaame and Badhaadhe, as well as other areas, have faced significant security challenges, with Al-Shabaab maintaining control or influence over several locations and rural areas, according to a June 2026 assessment by the European Union Agency for Asylum.
Hamza also discussed the newly established North Eastern State, saying voter registration and local elections would be conducted there. He said the administration and its parliament remained within their existing terms, distinguishing its situation from regions facing more immediate political disputes.
He also said Puntland faced circumstances different from some other federal member states, without providing details on how those differences would affect the forthcoming electoral process.
The government’s election plan has faced opposition from several political actors and federal member states, particularly over the electoral model and constitutional changes. The single-constituency system has previously been a subject of debate among Somali political stakeholders, with proponents and critics offering different assessments of its implications.
The latest comments from the prime minister come as Somalia’s federal government continues preparations for a direct, one-person-one-vote electoral system, amid unresolved disagreements with some regional authorities and opposition figures over the country’s political and electoral arrangements.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
